Walk on Stormy Seas
by moeichi
Summary: AU Marichat. Princess Marinette's life is shattered the day rebels broke into her castle and destroyed everything she'd known. Forced to live as a commoner to hide her identity, she dreams of taking back her kingdom until she is kidnapped by the notorious Chat Noir and his gang of pirates. But he seems to be hiding something. Can she uncover what's hiding under his mask?
1. The Night Everything Changed

"...and they lived happily ever after," Lady Marinette of Paris read, letting out a wistful sigh as she closed the old, dusty storybook.

Marinette, or Mari, as she was now known as in order to protect her true identity, sat in her chaise and closed her eyes, letting the words on the page sink into her mind. She dreamed of world peace, of a wedding between her and Prince Adrien, the blond-haired and green-eyed boy whom she'd had a crush on since childhood, and of a happily ever after.

In real life, though, there was never a happily ever after.

Marinette remembered the night everything changed as if it had happened yesterday.

 _"Marinette, there's something we have to tell you," Sabine said, stroking her beloved daughter's cheeks._

 _"What is it, Maman?" the little six year-old girl asked with wide bluebell eyes. Her mother didn't usually sound so serious when she was talking to her, and this made her worry._

 _"You see…" she hesitated, glancing at her husband. He gave her an encouraging nod. "I know you are still young, but we feel that this is the right time to tell you. In order to maintain the royal line, we have arranged an marriage between you and Prince Adrien."_

 _Marinette's mouth dropped open in shock. Prince Adrien was her best friend, the two having grown up together in the castle. They did everything together, and being two years older, he was almost like a protective brother to her. But what he didn't know was that Marinette had a crush on him._

 _For them to get married someday… that was one of her wildest dreams._

 _" A-Arranged marriage?" she squeaked, unable to believe her ears._

 _Her mother nodded. "Yes, dear. You will marry him when you grow up. I…I wanted to tell you now so that you will be able to learn to love him. But, you have to be careful. Not everyone is fond of royalty…" her gaze darkened sadly._

 _"What do you mean, Maman?" Marinette asked curiously._

 _"Just promise that no matter what happens, you will always smile, Marinette," her mother said, tears forming in her eyes. "I promise you will understand someday."_

 _Marinette was confused and wondered why her mother was crying. She gave her a toothy grin, hoping to cheer her up. She had just lost one of her front teeth, which made her look extra silly when she smiled. "I promise, Maman!"_

 _"Oh, Marinette…" her mother pulled her into a hug and kissed her on the top of her head. Marinette snuggled closer, relishing in her mother's warmth, when suddenly, loud shouting came from outside._

 _The young girl looked up at her parents with terror in her eyes. "Maman, Papa, what's happening?"_

 _"Get out of here, Marinette!" her father yelled forcefully. Tom had never showed any anger in the six years that he had been raising her, and his sudden rage startled the small girl. She froze, and he took the opportunity to grab Marinette's arm. He opened the window quickly and pushed her outside. "No matter what happens, don't come back to the castle! And remember that your maman and I will always love you – "_

 _Before he finished speaking, the door broke open to reveal a group of rebels. They were commoners who wanted to abolish the royalty system and blamed the King and Queen for France's problems. Tom shut the window and stood in front of it defiantly, blocking Marinette from their view._

 _"Your blasted system ends now," the man in the lead snarled, brandishing a sword at the two. Sabine whimpered and pressed herself against her husband. At least, when they died, they would be together, and they knew that Marinette would be okay. She would be scared and alone, but she still had a life in front of her. And she would marry Adrien when the time came. Sabine knew that her daughter was in good hands. She was sorry that she wouldn't be able to see her grow up..._

 _The man thrust his weapon forward, plunging it into Tom's stomach. He didn't even have time to block the attack._

 _Sabine screamed for her husband, but her scream was cut short as another man lunged for her. None of them heard the third shrill scream of terror that came from outside the castle._

 _For a moment, Marinette could only stare in horror at the scene that was enfolding in front of her, her entire body shivering. She had to get out of here. It had started to rain, and thunder rumbled in the distance. She jumped at the sound._

 _She got up and took off running, not caring where she was going or how long she would be able to run for. She just kept running, and running._

 _And then she collapsed._

...

If it weren't for Marinette's adoptive parents, she wouldn't have been able to smile again. Marinette hugged the book close to her.

See, not every story had a happily ever after.

Especially when her prince had been missing for three years.

* * *

 **A/N: I'm so sorry (not sorry)! I couldn't help getting this idea and wanting to write it out because I love Marichat and I'm ML trash. I'm sorry for what happened to Mari's parents, I love them to pieces but it's important to the plot... ;) please don't hate me /hides (Adrien is also slightly older for this reason XD)**

 **Please let me know what you think~ I'd love to hear from you!**


	2. The Princess's Secret

Chat Noir circled his prisoner in a...well, catlike manner. His skintight black leather suit allowed him to move with ease, and his black mask and cloak helped to hide his identity from his enemies' prying eyes. In other words, he was a mystery.

He danced closer to his 'guest', one of his clawed fingers scraping the older man's skin and releasing a trickle of blood. Instead of a sword, he wore two gloves that had been adorned with short knives and were designed to look like claws to pay homage to his name. The man, one of the leaders behind the rebellion in the south, flinched at the contact. "Is there anything else?" Chat hissed almost lazily, his piercing green eyes narrowed into slits. It was almost as though he could see into the man's very soul. "You know what happens if you remain silent, don't you?"

His claw reached for the tied-up man's neck, slowly and painfully. His fingers tightened, and the man instantly gasped, feeling the sharp blade burning against his skin. He gulped and nodded ever so slightly, afraid that just one wrong move would cause him to lose his head. "T-There's a rumor that Princess Marinette is still alive!" he blurted fearfully.

"Oh?" Chat drawled, pulling his hand away and licking the blood from his weapon.

"We're not completely sure if it's her, seeing how it's been ten years, but she matches the description. Cute girl, nice body, dark blue hair and brilliant blue eyes," the man listed.

 _Bingo._ Chat smirked, pretending that he wasn't interested. "I thought she perished with her parents. What makes you think that she's still alive?"

"We never found a body," the man explained. "We think her parents sacrificed themselves to protect the brat. Anyway, a few of my men reported seeing her living on the outskirts of Paris."

"Excellent," Chat snapped his fingers. "Nino, take the poor man to the brig, then set the course for Paris. I want you to dig for more information on the girl while you're at it."

Nino, the ship's dark-haired first mate and Chat's most trusted friend, looked up at his new orders. He had been hovering nearby in case the prisoner tried to escape, but Chat always had things under control. "Aye, Captain! Why are you so interested in the princess?" he asked curiously.

No one had heard from the princess since the day she disappeared from the public's watchful eye. She had been very popular among the people, having been a bright child with a bubbly personality.

There were rumors that she was alive, but they were too good to be true. There was no way she could still be alive after her parents had been found, brutally murdered by the rebels. But for the royal family that had gone into hiding in fear of the rebels, she was their only hope, the key to their freedom. Once upon a time, they had hoped that Prince Adrien, the last in the royal line, would have stepped up to win back the throne and give them protection they desperately needed, but he had disappeared three years ago without a trace. In his place, the mysterious pirate Chat Noir had appeared, causing havoc on France and her neighboring countries. Some feared that Chat had kidnapped Adrien and possibly even killed him, but this was never confirmed.

If only they knew the truth, Chat thought, laughing without humor.

"That's a tale for another day, Nino," Chat dismissed the question. "Who knows, maybe I'll tell you someday if I'm ever feeling generous. But all you need to know is that with her comes more juicy secrets and treasure than we can dream."

Nino's lips curved into a smile. "Good enough for me."

The two men gave each other a fist bump as Nino headed for the prisoner. "Sorry, dude, but I'm afraid you won't be seeing tomorrow after all," he said in a falsely sweet voice.

The last thing Chat heard was the man's yell of horror before Nino dragged him away.

* * *

"Mari, dear, did you fall asleep again? What have I been telling you about falling asleep by the window?" her adoptive mother tutted with disapproval, causing the former princess to stir and open her eyes. She rubbed her tear-streaked eyes, not realizing that she had dozed off while she was reading.

"I'll catch a cold," Marinette repeated dully. She glanced at the window, which had been opened halfway to let in the warm afternoon sun. "I'm sorry, mother, it won't happen again."

"That's my girl," she smiled, hugging Marinette when she noticed her forlorn expression. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head, not wanting her mother to worry. "I'm fine. I was reading this sad but wonderful story, that's all," she lied quickly. Marinette loved to read. It was her way of escaping from reality. In the world of books, she could pretend that she was happy, and safe, and had her family back.

"If you say so," her mother said uncertainly. "You know, you can tell me if there's anything troubling you."

Marinette played with the antique ring that she always wore around her neck. Her birth parents had slipped it to her before they had sent her away, and she knew that she was meant to wear it on her wedding day. The ring had a simple design, decorated with tiny leaf-shaped emeralds that scattered across a dainty silver band and completed with a heart shaped emerald that rested in the band's center. The royal family crest was carved into the backside, reminding her of her true heritage. She guessed that Adrien probably had the other ring in the set, but she would never be able to ask him. She hadn't seen him in so long that she wasn't sure if she would ever see him again. Would she even recognize him if she did see him?

"I'm fine, really," she insisted again. Marinette had said this to her family and friends so many times even she was beginning to believe it herself.

Her mother sighed, but didn't pry further. She respected and trusted her daughter's judgement. "If you're up for it, would you mind going into the town market and getting some lamb for me? I want to celebrate Sabrina's engagement with your favorite lamb stew!" Her eyes gleamed with excitement.

Sabrina Raincomprix was Marinette's older stepsister. They weren't exactly close, but they were friendly to each other, which was more than Marinette could ask for. She knew how the other girl must have felt when her parents returned with another child out of the blue.

And now, her sister was getting married to Nathaneal Kurtzberg, an up and coming shy, redheaded artist. He had had a crush on Marinette but fell for Sabrina once he started hanging out at their farm and met her. Marinette was perfectly fine with this development, as she was very kind and didn't have the heart to reject him. She couldn't tell him that she was actually a princess and already had an arranged marriage with Prince Adrien, who they hadn't heard from in three years. He would probably think that she had lost her mind and made her go to a mental hospital.

Marinette sighed.

She hoped with all her heart that Adrien was alive and well. Some people had started to think that he must have been killed by the rebels or caught by Chat Noir, but no body was ever found. Marinette refused to believe that he was dead unless there was real evidence that pointed to his death. She refused to think that Adrien, her smart, caring Adrien, would go down without a fight for the kingdom he loved so much.

"Sure," Marinette jumped up from her favorite chair swiftly and grabbed the pink and white shawl she had designed herself. As autumn crept closer, it was becoming chillier and chillier at night, and it was better for her to be safe than sorry.

Marinette made all of her own clothes so she wouldn't have to trouble her parents with extra expenses. This also gave her the freedom to design whatever she wished, like she was the main character in a fairytale who could wear anything with the flick of a magic wand. It was her dream to become a fashion designer so she could share her designs with the world, and to wear a wedding gown of her own design one day. She twirled once to make sure that her pleated blue dress hadn't tangled up while she had dozed off.

"Thank you, Mari," her mother said with a smile. "Try to come back quickly, alright? Especially when there have been sightings of pirates around here recently..." she shuddered.

Now that the rebels had taken over most of the castle, the country's citizens weren't the only ones affected by the shift in power. With Adrien's disappearance, André Bourgeois had temporarily taken control of the kingdom, but everyone knew that he was only a puppet to the real villain, an evil man only known as Hawk Moth.

This wasn't the only change. Pirates had started acting up again, lured out by the riches that were left unwatched as people dealt with Hawk Moth's guerrilla armies. One especially notorious pirate was Chat Noir, who had gotten into the trade three years earlier. In just three years, he'd stolen from all the coastal villages and beaten many villagers in the process. He was known to torture his prisoners for information, then got rid of them. No person who has seen him lived to tell the tale, which was why no one could get his wanted poster right. People speculated about his identity, but no one knew the truth except for two certain facts: that his ship was called the _Miraculous_ and that he only worked with one other crew, his first mate. They didn't even know whether he was on the rebels' side like other pirates, or on the side of the royalty.

But no matter which side he was on, he was a force to be reckoned with, that was for sure.

Marinette gave her mother a reassuring kiss on the cheek and dashed out into the crisp night air.

Her family lived in a small, wooden hut at the edge of their village. It wasn't huge, but they had enough room, and the location was perfect so that they could tend to their farm without anyone disturbing their animals. Marinette never complained; she was lucky that she had somewhere to live at all.

At the age of twenty, Sabrina worked as a schoolteacher in the local village. Roger, Marinette and Sabrina's father, was also a guard and protected the village from pirates and bandits. He was the one who had found Marinette that fateful night ten years ago, miserable and wet and chased by a pack of wild dogs. He had scared them off and brought her back to his home, where they welcomed her with open arms and treated her like family.

Marinette would never be able to thank them enough for what they had done for her.

While Marinette didn't have a job of her own yet, she helped around the farm and studied at the village's school in hopes of using her knowledge to take back her birthright. She had a friend in Alya, a bubbling journalist and information dealer on the side. While Marinette disapproved of her secret job, it came with a lot of money and helped her support her and her siblings.

Sometimes, if Marinette closed her eyes, she could pretend that this is where she belonged, and everything would turn out to be okay. But in her heart, deep down, there was something missing, and she knew that she would never be able to forget the home she grew up in and the people she loved. She wanted more than anything to act against the rebels, but what could she, a single person, do against them?

She walked towards the heart of the village on a side road, lost in thought, when she suddenly had the feeling that she was being watched. She stopped and looked around warily.

Was it her imagination, or did the trees seem like they were closing in on her? She rubbed her eyes and shook her head. No, everything looked perfectly normal. The fantasy stories she had been reading must be getting to her head.

Brushing the feeling aside, she ran the rest of the way into the village and stopped by the butcher shop for some lamb meat. Lamb was a delicacy that could only be afforded by a lucky few. Her family made enough to be able to enjoy the savory meat on special occasions, and for that she was grateful. Her mother's lamb stew was amazing and rivaled the ones in the finest restaurants in the city.

"Hello, Mari!" the butcher greeted her as she opened the door and stepped inside. She often stopped by when she was on errands for her mother, and so the man had recognized her over the years.

"Good evening," she said politely, rummaging through her purse for the correct change. "I would like to purchase a kilo of lamb, please."

"Why, certainly! We have the best lamb in the village, cherie!" he boasted, which was technically true because he was the only butcher in the village. Marinette giggled at his joke, and he gave her a grin in return. "What's the occasion?"

"I'm sure you'll hear eventually, but it's about my sister. She's getting married to Nathaneal!" she squealed, clapping her hands excitedly. She really was happy for her.

The butcher's eyes widened as he measured the correct weight in lamb then chopped the excess pieces off. He slipped it into a brown paper bag and set it down on the counter for Marinette. "C'est fantastique! The news will be all over the village by tomorrow, I bet. She deserves it. But...what about you? Haven't you thought about finding someone to settle down with, Mari?"

Marinette blushed. Everyone in the village was especially kind to her and looked out for her, because they knew, at least partially, what had happened to her in the past that she longed to forget.

"I...I'm still looking!" she said quickly. This was technically true, as she was still looking for Adrien. He didn't have to know the details, right...? She gave him the money and accepted the bag. She thanked and waved goodbye to him, then stopped by the village market for fresh vegetables to go with the stew.

With her hands full and her wallet empty, she turned and headed for home, feeling giddy as she imagined the delicious dinner they would soon be having. She didn't think anything would be able to ruin her night.

But she was very, very wrong.

* * *

 **A/N: Holy crap, 9 reviews for the first chapter :o thank you all so much for support! My inbox blew up - this is the most followers I've gotten for a single chapter. I'm really glad that you're liking the story so far!**

 **Here is the second chapter! it's a little short but it provides some background info on what's happening so far! sorry it's a little short, but I wanted to post something before I travel out of the country tomorrow~  
**

 **Please let me know what you think~ I'd love to hear from you!**

 **Next chapter is the Marichat meeting, so stay tuned! eep!**


	3. Fateful Encounter

Dinner was a joyous affair.

The family, plus Nathaneal, talked about anything and everything from politics to future plans, in which the happy couple blushed and stuttered embarrassedly that they were thinking about starting a family of their own. Roger beamed and slapped the artist on his back at that.

Marinette smiled as she watched them talk animatedly, but a small voice in the back of her mind reminded her that she would forever be an outsider no matter how much it seemed that everyone cared for her. She shook her head to brush these thoughts away. Now wasn't the time to be thinking depressing thoughts, especially after what her family went through for her. Instead, she stuffed her mouth full of stew, relishing in the lamb's tangy meat that reminded her of the mountains.

After dinner, she helped her mother wash the dishes, then excused herself from the room so she could feed the horses. This was one of her daily chores, but she didn't mind at all because she absolutely loved them. Her favorite was a horse she called Tikki, who had distinct dark spots that decorated her brown pelt and could gallop at incredible speeds.

She walked down the stoney path that led to their farm, humming to herself. She was just about to step into the barn when she saw that there were fresh footprints in the mud.

"That's odd…" she muttered, frowning. She had been here in the afternoon, and there definitely hadn't been footsteps then. Something wasn't right.

Taking the oil lamp that hung next to the doorway, she carefully pushed the double wooden doors open, jumping when the doors creaked loudly.

"Silly Mari," she scolded herself, shaking her head. "There's no such thing as ghosts. You've been reading too many ghost stories, that's all." She loved reading and could read any genre, but her favorite had to be stories that dealt with the supernatural. There was something so magical and sad about them that drew her in...She let out a sigh as she squinted into the barn.

"Rah!" A battle cry suddenly sounded next to her ear, making Marinette leap into the air and almost drop the lamp in surprise. She whirled around, her heart pounding, only to see her best friend Alya jump out from behind the door. She wanted to smack herself for not checking the most obvious hiding place. "Gotcha!" the dark-skinned girl grinned triumphantly.

Marinette folded her arms across her chest, trying to look unimpressed but failing miserably. "That's not funny, Alya Césaire," she complained. "You startled me! And how'd you get in here, anyway? It's supposed to be locked..."

Alya gave her a sly smile. "I dropped by earlier but it didn't seem like you were home. Then I saw your father came in here, so I sneaked in after him. He didn't even notice!" She looked pleased with herself.

"Well, that's great," Marinette grumbled. "What did you come here for? Sabrina is marrying Nathanael while I'm still single. Can't I sulk alone in peace?" She didn't add that she was single because she hoped that Adrien would come back for her.

Alya's smile grew wider. "Mari dear, I have the perfect solution to your man problem. I'm here to ask you to come to the bar with me!"

Marinette stared at her friend. She couldn't help but blush a little when Alya addressed her being single as her 'man problem'. "The bar?" she repeated, not believing her ears. "Are you serious?"

"Of course," Alya nodded vigorously. "My parents won't let me go out alone, but if you're with me then that's totally fine, right? I'm not going to drink, either, I'm going to gather information," she added with gleaming hazel eyes, as though she was plotting something evil.

Marinette rolled her eyes. She didn't like the sound of whatever Alya was plotting. Then again...She knew Alya would go by herself even if Marinette refused to accompany her. That was the kind of person Alya was. But if she was there, she could keep an eye on her and prevent her from doing anything stupid, right? "Fine," Marinette agreed reluctantly, pouting. "But I have to let everyone know, _and_ you're coming with me."

She turned and headed back towards the main house, grabbing Alya's hand and dragging her along.

"You're the best, Mari! That's why I love you!" Alya sang as she gladly followed the bluenette. The two girls joked to each other the entire way inside.

Marinette's mother looked up at the sound of their approaching voices and smiled warmly at Alya in greeting. "Alya, what a surprise!"

"Good evening, Mrs. Raincomprix," Alya greeted.

"It's nice to see you again, dear. We still have some lamb stew left if you'd like to join us for dinner," Mrs. Raincomprix offered kindly.

Alya shook her head. "Oh, no, thank you. As tempting as that sounds, I came to invite Mari here to hang out with me tonight, if you don't mind?" she pulled Marinette into a one arm hug in an attempt to be even more convincing.

"Will you girls be alright by yourselves? Perhaps it'd be better for me to keep an eye on you two..." she fretted, giving Marinette a stern stare.

"We'll be fine!" Alya said quickly, not batting an eyelash. "Besides, it'll be boring. Just girl talk and stuff."

Marinette nodded, playing along. "Yeah, girl talk! You know, reallllly booring."

She sighed. Alya could be very convincing. "Well, alright. But make sure to come back before midnight, okay? And watch out for pirates!"

"Thanks, Mom! I love you!" Marinette beamed and hugged her mother, then dashed out of the house with Alya before she could change her mind. They didn't stop running until they were a good distance away from her house before Marinette, who was still unable to believe her luck, doubled over with laughter and making Alya join in. "Wow, Alya, I can't believe you!"

"Sometimes I can't believe myself either," Alya snickered, sending the two into another bout of laughter. She led the way into the heart of the village, not stopping until they reached their destination.

"Well, here we are, the bar," Alya announced proudly, gesturing to their surroundings. They were standing at the entrance to the one and only bar in the Village of Lanqais, a small, dusty but cozy building complete with round wooden tables and stools. "Make yourself comfortable, it's basically my second home."

Marinette giggled at that. She wondered how often Alya came here to gather intel. Her friend sat down at the counter and winked at the bartender, an older gentleman wearing a pair of round, thick-rimmed glasses.

"I'll have the usual, and she'll have the Beginner's Special, please."

"Coming right up!" The man flashed Alya a smile and began to work on her orders.

"Beginners' Special?" Marinette echoed, her bluebell eyes stretched wide. "Alya, you know I don't drink!"

"Relax, Mar. You're trying to meet guys, right? The least you should do is act normal, you know." Her best friend pointed out matter-of-factly. Marinette sighed and gave in, knowing she would lose if she got into an argument with Alya.

When the bartender finished mixing the drinks and slid them across the table towards the two in two foaming glasses, Marinette took hers and eyed it cautiously, as though it was a bomb that could explode any minute. Shaking her head at her silliness, she gulped down a large mouthful before she could change her mind. To her surprise, the pale, fuzzy liquid was quite refreshing and tasted of tropical fruit with a hint of mint. She blinked appreciatively at her friend.

"It's delicious!"

Alya smirked. "I know my alcohol..." she trailed off, gazing at something in the distance. Marinette followed her gaze, her eyes resting on a man seemingly sitting by himself in the corner. "And my men," she added in a suggestive voice, making Marinette roll her eyes. "That guy's cute, isn't he? Haven't seen him around before...I'm gonna go and talk to him. Wait here."

She stood up and sauntered towards him, winking at Marinette before she left.

"Typical Alya," she pouted, "Leaving me alone and defenseless in a bar."

She looked around, her chest tightening when she noticed that almost everyone were couples. She even recognized a few of her classmates. Having nothing else to do, she took another mouthful of her drink.

As she studied the bar, she noticed that there were a couple of wanted posters of pirates that had been plastered onto the left side. They looked pretty old, for a few were already beginning to peel off. She looked closer when she recognized two of the names. One of them, Hawk Moth, was the root of her troubles. He was the man behind the rebellion, the one who made Marinette lose her home and her parents in the blink of an eye.

She wanted nothing more than to get revenge for her family, but what could she, a single girl, do against an army? Besides, if she was truly a princess, she should serve the people first over all of her selfish desires. She sighed, feeling lost and frustrated. She wished she knew how to fight. Her father had taught her a few self defense moves, but they were nothing compared to the intensive training soldiers went through. She'd read many books on strategy, but they were useless because they depended on manpower and weapons, both of which she did not have.

Marinette only had herself.

She knew she couldn't live this secluded life forever while people died around her. And with her sister getting married, she longed to protect her children's future. Marinette dreamed of a future where people could live without having to worry about death and hunger...

She turned her attention to the second poster. This one was of Chat Noir. She stared at his round face, which had a double chin and was completely covered by his mask. He also wore a pair of cat ears that made him look extra silly. She giggled at the image, remembering how every wanted poster she'd seen of him had a different design of his face.

She looked around again, noting that Alya was still talking to the brown skinned boy. They seemed to be getting along, she mused, watching as Alya laughed at something the boy said and playfully hit his arm. She was debating whether to order a second drink (and reminding herself that she was a princess and princesses shouldn't be wasting their time in bars) when the bartender walked over to her end and passed her a glass.

"This is from the gentleman who just left," he explained.

Mystified, she took the glass, only to feel something brush against her palm. She pulled it out, her heart skipping a beat when she saw that it was a piece of paper. She unfolded it gingerly, her eyes widening at the note that was etched onto the paper in neat cursive.

 _I know who you are. Won't you come out and play, Princess?_

Princess...who on earth would know her secret? She'd taken great care to hide it, and most people assumed that she had died along with her birth parents during the attack.

Her heart pounding, Marinette looked around the bar, but she couldn't find anything suspicious. There hadn't been a signature on the note, either - not that she expected one, if they were trying to lure her out. It couldn't be Hawk Moth, could it? No, Hawk Moth was the type who sent out his underdogs to do the dirty work. He would never come out personally - that was why he was so difficult to catch and had the highest bounty among all pirates at a million Francs.

This had to be the work of someone else. But who could it be?

Briefly, she wondered what would happen if she ignored the note and stayed in the bar. Would they attack her on her way out? Would they attack _Alya_? She felt sickened by the thought.

No, she couldn't let that happen. She was a princess, and she had a duty to perform.

She got up, and making sure that Alya was still preoccupied with her new friend, ducked out of the bar through the back entrance. She stood still, listening to the sounds of the night. A cricket sang in the distance, and an owl hooted lazily nearby. The village didn't seem to be in danger.

Relieved, she let her body relax. She was about to turn around when a dark figure suddenly dropped down swiftly in front of her.

"Found you, Princess," the figure purred coyly.

Her breath caught in her throat. She tried to run, but her body had stopped functioning. In the bright moonlight, she could see his features clearly, a boy, no, a young man clad in an all black jumpsuit with a cloak flowing elegantly out from behind him. Mesmerized, she could only stare, unable to tear her eyes away. She had the faintest feeling that she had met him somewhere before, but she couldn't remember for the life of her. Her mind playing was probably just playing tricks on her - after all, she'd been staring at his wanted poster just a little while ago. She dismissed the thought as she took a step back, her back hitting the wall behind her.

"You...you're Chat Noir, aren't you?" She breathed.

He grinned, taking a step toward her and trapping her against the wall with his arm. "The one and only. I take it that you've read my message?"

"How can I not?" She said pointedly. He made it sound like she'd had a choice in coming here. But of course she didn't. "What do you want from me?"

"Patience is a virtue, Princess," he reminded her silkily.

"And you're a pirate," she retorted, just as frostily. She eyed the bar again, calculating how fast she could run for the door. Suddenly, the once foreboding place seemed extremely welcoming. "Since when do pirates talk about virtues?"

He smirked triumphantly, as though they were playing an unspoken game and he was already winning. "And since when do princesses talk to pirates?"

Marinette glared at him, but she was unable to find an answer to that. "Fine, you win this time. But you didn't answer my question. What do you want, Chat Noir? Money? Land?"

"No, that's boring. I'm a pirate, but I'm not just any pirate. There are things in this world that are far more valuable than gold. Secrets, for instance," he said conspiringly.

"You already know my secret," Marinette pointed out. She wondered why he hadn't tried to hurt her yet. "I have no more secrets to tell."

"That's where you're wrong, Princess Marinette Dupain-Cheng," he whispered, his voice deep and strangely alluring. It was the first time she'd heard someone say her real name in a long while, and hearing it from his lips sent a shiver down her spine. She wondered how he knew. "You see, you're more valuable than you take credit for, and I want _you_. Then again, I could just kidnap you, of course, but that's no fun, is it? I'm Chat Noir, and Chat Noir likes a little challenge, so I'll try to persuade you to agree to come with me willingly by making a deal with you. In exchange for your company, I won't tell a soul in this village who you really are. How does that sound?"

Marinette studied him warily. He definitely could have just kidnapped her, but he didn't. From their conversation, he didn't seem like a bad person. In fact, he was smart, calculating, even, and those were traits that didn't typically go hand-in-hand with pirates. But then again, pirates would always be pirates. They always had an ulterior motive and were selfish and greedy. That she knew from hearing about their attacks on other villages during the chaos from the rebellion.

Out loud, she asked, "Do I have a choice?"

He gave her a sly smile. "No. I would just kidnap you anyway, Princess."

"Oh," Marinette sighed. Of course.

"But, it'd be a much more pleasant if you agreed by your choice, wouldn't it?"

Dammit.

Marinette thought of her family, enjoying themselves and oblivious to the fact that she was striking a deal with a pirate captain. What would her sweet mother say if she knew what her daughter was up to? She was close to tears, but she blinked them back. A princess couldn't show weakness to her enemies. "Alright, I'll agree to your bloody deal. How will I know that you've kept your end?"

"Pirates' code," he promised, taking out a sheet of paper to write down the terms. "This is a contract between us. We'll seal it in blood if that makes you feel better."

He raised a hand, and Marinette noticed for the first time the sharp blades that protruded from his fingertips. She shuddered as she imagined them pressing against her skin.

"Nino," he called out. A second figure slid out from the bushes with an unconscious Alya slung unceremoniously over his shoulder.

"Alya!" Marinette gasped, recognizing the man as the one who Alya had been talking to earlier. Despite her small frame, she rounded on the two men furiously. "What did you do to her?"

"Nothing. She's just unconscious. Can't have her remembering my face, can we?" the man called Nino explained, exchanging a nervous glance with his captain.

Marinette glared daggers at him as she covered Alya's limp form with her shawl. "You'd better take her home! This is our deal, she has nothing to do with this!"

"Will do. Relax, mate," Nino reassured her, giving Alya a fond look. "I'm just gonna stay to be your witness before bringing her home. Captain's orders."

Chat Noir tore off his glove with his teeth, then sliced his left hand with his blade, letting his blood drip onto the paper. Marinette winced, but he didn't even bat an eye as he signed his name in the same perfect cursive and held out the contract for her.

She lifted her hand, giving him permission to take her blood. She bit her lip when she felt the sharp sting, but refused to cry out to give him the satisfaction that he won.

Chat Noir, who had been watching her sign the contract with piercing green eyes, suddenly stiffened. "Uh-oh. Looks like we have company, Nino."

Before Marinette could open her mouth to respond, she felt a hard blow to her head...

...and then the world was spinning around her.

* * *

 **A/N: I'm sorry for not updating in a while! I've been traveling and can only write on my phone so updates have been slow XD but thank you again for your warm reviews! I love reading them, and you guys really make my day :)**

 **To express my thanks, I was thinking of writing ideas that you might have! so, if you have a request, whether it's for ships (both kinds hehe), scenes, or anything else, let me know and I'll consider including them in the story!**

 **I've also included a few references to other fandoms and to things that I like, hehe! if you can find them, let me know! I'll reveal them in the next chapter~ (hint: can anyone guess where the lamb stew reference is from?)**

 **Please let me know what you think~ I'd love to hear from you!**


	4. Desperate Escape

_Large raindrops splashed against her pale cheeks._ _Thunder rumbled in the distance, making her jump._

 _The dogs' growls were getting louder and louder. Feeling utterly hopeless and completely exhausted, Marinette screamed at herself to get up and run. But her legs felt as though they had been glued to the ground, and refused to budge..._

Marinette awoke with a start.

She had dreamt about that night again, the night she escaped from the castle she once called home. Shaking her head to chase the nightmare away, she rubbed her eyes. She could feel the trail of now-dried tears that she had cried in her sleep. She had been trying so hard to forget that horrifying night, yet why was it coming back to haunt her now of all times?

Her entire body ached as though she had ran a thousand miles. She let out a yelp when she tried to stretch, but instead rolled onto the floor with a loud thud.

"Ouch," she moaned, rubbing her still pounding head. That was not the best way to wake up in the morning. She looked around, but didn't recognize her surroundings. For a moment, she stiffened, feeling confused. Where on earth was she? The last thing that happened had been her going out to drink with Alya, right? So how did she end up here? She hadn't gotten _that_ drunk, had she? She blushed guiltily, wondering if she had somehow ended up in some stranger's bedroom after a one night stand. _That_ would be scandalizing. She was a princess, and princesses had no place drinking in bars or spending the night in a man's room.

Speaking of princesses...Suddenly, everything came back to her. Remembering what had happened the night before - the mysterious note, meeting Chat Noir, _the_ Chat Noir - she pushed herself off from the floor and gazed around the room warily.

As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she noted the tiny, lumpy bed she had been occupying and an aged wooden desk which looked as though rats had gnawed through most of its legs and it could collapse at any moment. There was also a messily rolled up parchment that looked suspiciously like a map lying on said wooden desk. She spotted two wanted posters of Chat Noir - they both didn't look anything like him, one making him appear extra chubby while the other depicted him as an old man - plastered against one side of the peeling wall, but both bearing identical evil smirks and looking down at her as though reminding her of her current predicament. Other than that, the room didn't seem to have any other clues to reveal her whereabouts.

And what time was it anyway? In the dark, cramped and stuffy room, she had lost count of the hours she'd been there.

"Well, I've had worse," she said to herself as cheerfully as she could, remembering the night her parents had exiled her to the barn after she had broken her usual curfew to stay up late with Alya. Her friend was a terrible influence on her, she thought wryly in an attempt to lighten the atmosphere.

Just then, the floor bobbled violently, making her almost tumble to the ground if she had not grabbed onto the bed post in time. She realized then that she must be on a boat of some sort. That would make sense, considering how she had made a deal with Chat Noir, one of the most dangerous pirates in all of Europe! "Oh, why did I make that deal with him?" She groaned, regretting her decision (she tried not to remind herself that she would have been brought here either with or without her consent). But now it was too late, and she was stuck here. But she knew she couldn't just sit idly by while Hawkmoth wreaked havoc on her beloved country. She had to get out of here and find a way to take back the throne...Maybe that had Chat Noir's plan all along. Perhaps he secretly worked for the villain, and kidnapped her, France's last hope, so that she wouldn't be able to stop him.

Just the thought of it made her want to throw up.

She made up her mind then. She had to figure out a way to get out of here, even if it was the last thing she did.

The ship rocked again, making her topple forward toward the door and distracting her from her thoughts. Almost right on cue, the door swung open at the exact same moment, revealing non other than Chat Noir himself. He leaned against the door's frame nonchalantly, smirking as he took in Marinette's disheveled appearance. "I didn't expect you'd be that eager to see me," he commented wryly, earning himself a glare from Marinette.

"In your dreams," she snorted in a very un-princess-like way. She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction that he had won their battle of wits. _No, he hasn't won,_ she reminded herself. Not yet. Not if she still had a chance to escape.

"Quite prickly, aren't we, Princess?" Chat Noir remarked, his deep voice rumbling in an almost teasing matter. Marinette couldn't decipher his expression thanks to the intricate black mask that covered his eyes. She wondered what he was really thinking. Was he gloating at the idea that he was the one who had caught her? Was he thinking of ways to punish her…to _kill_ her? Her eyes slid towards the door, calculating how quick she had to act to make her escape.

As though he had read her mind, Chat Noir slid smoothly towards the door and blocked the only way to her freedom. Her heart sank, but she held her head up defiantly. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, Princess," he purred. "Even if you do escape from this room, I'll have you know that we're currently in the middle of the ocean. It takes days to reach the closest port by _boat_. You'd have no chance by swimming, not to mention the sharks and other hungry sea creatures down there that would love to eat you for breakfast. So, the question is, would you rather die out there, or stay alive for a little while longer?"

Despite how grim her situation was, she gave him her bravest grin as she confidently strode towards the door. "You're asking me, Chat Noir? If you are, then I'd rather take my chances. I can't afford to die here."

Her brain whirled as she formed an escape plan in her mind. She didn't think she'd have a chance, but still, she had to try for the sake of her people. She screamed and pointed to a nonexistent speck on the ceiling. "Ah! A ladybug!"

Distracted by her sudden outcry, Chat Noir swept his gaze towards the direction she was pointing at. Marinette saw her chance. Letting out a battle cry, she leapt straight at the pirate, knocking the air out of him and sending him toppling onto the bed. Now that the coast was clear, she lunged for the door and swung it open.

She found herself standing at the end of a hallway. Remembering the stories she'd read about pirates, she wondered if the room she had just been held captive in was in fact the Captain's quarters. _Why would Chat Noir keep her in his own room if he had wanted her dead?_ A tiny voice spoke up inside her mind, but she dismissed the thought. Now wasn't the time to dwell on his hospitality, if she could even call it that. She had to keep going...

She spotted a ladder that reached up to what looked like a trap door at the other end of the passage. Without thinking, she continued running towards the ladder, ignoring Chat Noir's furious shouts echoing dangerously close behind her. She knew she was done for now. There was no chance he was letting her go alive.

"Well, that just means I'll have to get away on my own!" she declared in an attempt to cheer herself up, quickening her pace. She nearly collided with a second person who was climbing down the ladder in her haste to get away from Chat Noir.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" the man glared at her, not registering who she was for a moment.

"S-Sorry!" she gasped, her eyes widening when she recognized him as the dark-skinned man who Alya had flirted with last night. _Alya!_ She couldn't be on the ship too, could she? "What did you do to my friend?" she demanded. She had to know. _Please be safe, Alya_! She prayed to the gods that her friend wasn't on this ship.

Recognition suddenly dawned upon him as he gaped at her. "You...you're the princess Captain kidnapped yesterday! What the hell are you doing out here?"

She shook her head impatiently, knowing she was out of time. "Never mind that! Well? What did you do to her?" she repeated.

"We took her home, if that's what you're asking," he answered, still sounding suspicious. "Why do you - "

He was interrupted by Chat Noir's furious yowl from somewhere behind them. "Nino, stop her!"

Nino instantly lunged for her, but Marinette reached the ladder just in time. She gave the men a wave before hauling herself onto the wooden deck of the ship. Her eyes scanned her surroundings, determining her best coarse of action. She knew what she had to do.

Taking a deep breath, Marinette determinedly stepped closer to the wooden railing. She was free, and now, all she needed to do was jump.

* * *

"Are you just going to let her go, Captain?" Nino asked Chat Noir incredulously as the ship captain caught up to his first mate, nodding to the open trapdoor where Marinette had disappeared through barely a moment ago.

Chat Noir smirked, folding his arms across his chest. "Of course not. I'm bored, and she's a good source of entertainment for once." It was true. The typical prisoners he'd encountered in the past had all begged for their lives. And to be honest, he had gotten bored from being forced to listen to the endless list of things they'd offer to exchange for their freedom (from their dogs to their mother-in-laws to their unborn first children, each a little worser). In other words, they were all selfish bastards who would rather protect their own skin than those of their loved ones.

Marinette, on the other hand...she was different. Feisty, even. Not many would dare respond to him, _the_ Chat Noir, like that, and even try to escape from his clutches. That was something that was unheard of. Maybe he would keep her alive for a little longer to help get over his boredom. Toy with her a little. Give her hope...then snatch it away with a snap of his fingers. _That_ would be fun. "I'm just playing with her."

Nino shrugged. He would follow Chat Noir's orders no matter what the captain decided, no questions asked. "Whatever you say, Captain." The two men climbed up onto the deck, following the trail that Marinette had left behind. "She really did jump, huh?" Nino remarked, scanning the deck to find that there was no kidnapped princess in sight. "Aren't you going after her?"

"Nah," Chat Noir dismissed the suggestion with a snort of disdain, as if the mere thought of him going after her was incomprehensible. He was a pirate, after all, and the last thing he would do was _save_ people, even if said person was his prisoner and was worth more than he bargained for. "I'm curious to see how long she can survive out there before she comes begging for us to take her back."

"But aren't these waters infested with poisonous sharks?" Nino pointed out. "Does she know that?"

"No, she doesn't. And that's where things get interesting," Chat said, a wicked grin spreading across his face as he anticipated what was about to come...

* * *

A/n: Hi everyone, thank you, thank you so much for all of your lovely reviews and for not giving up on this story! I'm sorry for not updating in so long, I had writer's block and was also doing research on pirate ships ;) but I'm back with another chapter! It's a little short, but I finally figured out the plot so expect more updates in the future :)

Hope you like this chapter and their interactions~ sorry it's a little short, but the next chapter will be longer. Let me know what you think?


	5. Underwater Battle

Marinette crash-landed unceremoniously into the frigid water, gasping as she felt the air get knocked out of her. She winced, her body feeing as though it had been sliced by a thousand knives.

Okay, so maybe jumping into the water without a contingency plan hadn't been the brightest idea - she had been desperate to escape, after all - but she wasn't going to give Chat Noir the satisfaction that he had been right. Again. She gritted her teeth to stop them from chattering and began to swim, cursing Chat Noir and despising him for taking away her hopes of reclaiming her kingdom. With her hatred for Chat Noir fueling her, she swiftly kicked her legs and used her arms to propel herself forward.

Her mind whirled as she swam. She admitted that while she had absolutely no idea what she was doing, she did know one thing for certain, which was that she had to get away from here - wherever _here_ was - even if it meant the death of her. If she didn't survive, how could she ever face her people again? How would she take back her kingdom from Hawk Moth?

She shook her head to clear her thoughts. Now wasn't the time to be worrying about Hawk Moth when she had to get to safety first. She continued to swim, feeling grateful that her birth parents had insisted that she learned how to swim when she was little. She chuckled as she remembered a conversation she had shared with her parents.

 _"But Maman," Marinette complained with a pout, "Why must I have to learn how to swim? I'm always taking lessons. If I take swimming lessons too, I won't have any free time left!" She didn't dare tell her mother that the real reason she was concerned was that she wouldn't be able to spend time with Adrien._

 _"You're a princess, Marinette. And as much as we hate to admit it, being a princess could be...dangerous." her mother chided gently. "Maman and Papa can't always be there to protect you. You should learn how to swim in case anything bad ever happens to you."_

 _"What about Adrien? He's a prince, right? Why doesn't he need to take lessons?" Marinette protested._

 _Her mother smiled, her eyes sparkling in amusement. "He already knows how to swim. Well, how about this? Would you learn if I asked Adrien to teach you?"_

 _Marinette squealed and flung her arms around her mother in joy. She would do anything if Adrien was the one to teach her! "Yes, yes! I would!"_

 _Her mother hugged her back, kissing her softly on the top of her head. "It's a deal!"_

She laughed at the irony of the situation. It looked like her mother's concerns had come true, after all. Here she was, swimming to escape from just the kind of bad people her parents had once warned her about.

But unfortunately for Marinette, she wasn't able to swim very far before she suddenly felt that she wasn't alone. She glanced around warily, but there was nothing around her besides kilometers and kilometers of water. Even though everything seemed to look perfectly peaceful, the bad feeling she had wouldn't go away. That could only mean one thing...whatever was there must be _below_ her.

She sucked in a huge gulp of air and ducked her head under the water's surface. The salt water made her eyes sting, but she forced them to stay open and refused to give up even when they started to burn. She scanned the water, her eyes widening when she noticed a giant, dark blur that looked suspiciously like a shark circling closer and closer towards her.

It was then that she remembered Chat Noir's earlier words. " _Not to mention the sharks and other hungry sea-creatures that would love to eat you for breakfast..."_

She felt chilled to the bone as realization dawned upon her. She was about to get eaten by a shark before she could escape from Chat Noir. She couldn't let that happen,. She couldn't die here. But...what could she do?

 _Think, Marinette, think!_ She begged herself as she started swimming faster in a desperate attempt to get away, but her attempts were futile. The shark was too fast.

She could only stare as the dangerous creature lunged toward her with its jaws wide open.

* * *

Chat Noir growled in annoyance as he paced back and forth on the deck of the _Miraculous_. He pulled out his silver pocket watch for the umpteenth time and snapped it open to check the time. It had been exactly thirty minutes since Marinette had escaped, but there still had been no news of her. Not that he was keeping track of the time. No, really.

"If you keep pacing, Captain, you're going to make a hole in the floor," Nino remarked, punching Chat's shoulder in a friendly manner to lighten the atmosphere.

"She should be crawling back by now, begging me to forgive her. What's taking her so damn long?" Chat muttered, more to himself than to Nino.

His dark-haired first mate shrugged. "Maybe the sharks got her."

Chat Noir stopped in his tracks at his best friend's comment. Nino did have a point. He had almost forgotten about the poisonous sharks that lurked in the ocean's depths. Those sharks were deadly - one bite's worth of poison would be enough to kill a person within three days. She wouldn't stand a chance against them.

"Dammit!" He couldn't let her die like that. That would be too pointless. Chat Noir was always the one who killed his prisoners, never anyone else. He couldn't let a damn _shark_ steal his prey.

Without a second thought, he leapt over the railing and dove expertly into the water.

* * *

Marinette choked as the shark struck her head with its tail. Her body felt as though it was on fire. Her lungs were struggling for oxygen, and her head was pounding in pain. She was going to lose consciousness...

As she felt herself sink deeper into the water, her eyes widened when she saw a dark human figure race desperately toward her. She watched as the person slashed the shark's eyes with his hands - or was it his claws? - In her delirious state, Marinette couldn't be sure anymore. As the creature opened its jaws to roar in pain, the figure dove straight for it and caught its upper jaw in his hands to prevent its mouth from closing.

For a moment, Marinette was mesmerized by the man fighting in front of her. The stranger had so much strength that he could keep the shark's jaws open with just his bare hand. Just who on earth was he?

She shook herself out of her reverie in time to see the man throw something into the shark's mouth. As soon as his task was finished, he quickly leapt away and headed for her, pulling her to his hard chest - she could tell he was wearing some sort of suit - as he continued getting as far away from the shark as possible. Marinette didn't register what had happened until the shark suddenly burst into a thousand pieces behind them, the force from the explosion propelling both her and the man backward.

Finally, after what felt like a lifetime, the two broke through the surface of the water. Marinette let out a gasp as her lungs hungrily gulped in the fresh, sea air around them. And now that the danger had passed, she could study the man up close. She gapped as a rather familiar face smirked back at her.

"C-Chat Noir...?"

* * *

A/n: Hello everyone! Thank you, thank you for the amazing reviews for this story! I can't believe how much support it has been getting! I've read and love every one of your reviews :) I'm so sorry for the delay, I had some trouble writing out the chapter but I'm happy with how it turned out~ hopefully you will love it too!

As for why Adrien is acting this way toward Marinette (we already know who Chat Noir really is, don't we? XD), you'll find out later in the story so I won't say much about it now! But I hope you will continue to read and enjoy the story as much as I enjoy writing it :) thank you all again for your support!


	6. Deadly Venom

"C-Chat Noir...?"

Marinette stammered his name in surprise, unable to tear her eyes away from him. Chat Noir, the ruthless pirate who killed his prisoners for fun and would never let anyone escape alive had just risked his own life to save her, the runaway princess worth more than any value in gold to the rebels. No matter how she looked at it, that didn't make any sense. Why would he save her if he was planning to kill her? Unless...As she continued to study his familiar blond hair and startling green eyes, the image of another person flashed in her mind. She let out the breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. It couldn't be him, could it?

"A-Adrien?" She hopefully whispered his name, as though the spell would break if she spoke out loud. His name sounded almost foreign from her lips - she hadn't said his name out loud in many, many years.

She felt the man's arms stiffen at the mention of the missing prince, but he recomposed himself so quickly that she wasn't sure if she had imagined his actions. "Sorry to burst your bubble, but you've got the wrong person, Princess," Chat Noir bit out scathingly, then softened a little at the look of disappointment that spread across her delicate features. He couldn't help chuckling at how easy she was to read. So it wasn't Adrien who had saved her... "You hurt your head earlier. Your mind is playing tricks on you, that's all. Come on, let's get you back to the ship so we can fix your injuries," he continued, readjusting his grip so she snuggled against him more comfortably.

When had she hit her head? Marinette wondered in the back of her mind. Oh, that's right. She frowned as she thought back to when the shark had struck her. Chat Noir hadn't been there at the time, so how did he know that she had hurt her head? And why was he being nice? No, he wasn't just being nice. He was actually caring about her. But this was Chat Noir. He didn't care about people. So why would he care about her when she was just another treasure for him to claim? She tried to come up with possible explanations for his behavior, but even thinking was making her head ache, so she decided to give up for now. She would have all the time in the world later to think about Chat Noir. But right now, sleep sounded like a rather good idea...

Her eyes began to droop in exhaustion, and this time, she didn't struggle as Chat Noir began swimming back towards the ship with her in tow. After all, he really had been the one to save her from certain death. Maybe...just maybe, he wasn't all that bad after all. She gazed at him thoughtfully, marveling at how his strong muscles rippled through his arms as he swam.

"You're bleeding," she mumbled suddenly, noticing the trail of blood that was trickling down his arm. "Chat Noir, you're hurt!"

"This? It's nothing," he grunted with a shrug. "I'll have Nino take a look at it once we get back."

As he swam, they fell into a comfortable silence, both lost in their own thoughts. Marinette thought about her beloved Adrien while Chat Noir focused all of his energy on swimming. He didn't tell her that it was the shark who had bitten him - he didn't want her to pester or worry about him. _That_ would be beyond annoying. And besides, Nino would know what to do about the venom when they got back. As Chat Noir continued to swim, he groaned when his head began to spin and his arms started feeling like lead. But despite the fact that he knew the poison was getting to him, he pushed on, knowing that they had to return to the ship whether he was up for it or not because their lives depended on him.

And that he did.

Chat Noir got back to the _Miraculous_ in record speed - how he knew exactly where the ship was, Marinette had no idea. Nino was already waiting on the deck when they returned. As soon as Nino spotted them, he threw down a lifesaver, which Chat caught with ease and handed to Marinette so she could use the rope to climb up to the railing.

Chat Noir waited patiently below while Marinette grabbed the rope and climbed up first. She smiled gratefully as Nino helped haul her up the rest of the way, then collapsed onto the wooden deck in exhaustion. After her near-drowning experience, it definitely felt good to be standing on the ground again. She heard Chat Noir hoist himself up behind her.

Now that she knew that they were finally safe, she closed her eyes. She didn't even care that she was dripping wet and would catch a cold if she took a nap out in the open. She was about to fall asleep when Nino's gasp startled her out of her daydream. "Captain, those wounds! Don't tell me the shark - ?"

"It's no..." Chat Noir opened his mouth to answer, but Marinette never found out what he was about to say. A sudden wave of dizziness overcame him, and he staggered and stumbled forward, falling face first onto the ground.

"Chat Noir? CHAT NOIR!" Marinette screamed out his name, feeling wide awake as she stared at his still form in horror. She hurried over and knelt down on the floor next to him. "What's happening to him? He was just fine a minute ago!" she cried in desperation, turning to Nino for answers as the other boy bent down to inspect his captain.

Nino shook his head, frowning as he studied Chat Noir's wound. "Looks like he was bitten by the shark. He was probably hiding the wound from you so you wouldn't worry about him. But at this rate, the poison will kill him in three days."

"He's going to die in three days?" Marinette whispered, her heart sinking in dismay. When had the shark bitten him? She gasped as she remembered how he had caught the shark's jaws in his bare hands to prevent it from chomping down on him. Was that when the shark's teeth pierced his skin? At that moment, she hated herself for not noticing his wounds sooner when he had risked his life to save her. "Isn't there anything we can do for him?"

Nino nodded and stood up. "I suppose there is one thing that we can do. It's time for us to pay Master Fu a visit."

"Master Fu?" Marinette repeated the unfamiliar name, tipping her head to one side curiously.

"Yes. He's sort of...a doctor of all trades. If we bring the Captain to him, he'll be able to help."

Marinette stood up eagerly, her earlier exhaustion forgotten. If there was any hope that he would survive, then she was going to take it. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

Nino raised an eyebrow. "Why are you helping him, Princess? You must hate him for being the one who stole your future."

Marinette studied the ground before lifting her head to meet Nino's curious gaze. "That's what I had thought, too, but then he saved me from the shark when he could've just left me there to die. That means he's not a bad person. There must be a reason why he's in this...pirate business. I want to get a chance to know him better and understand why he's doing the things he does. That's why...I can't let him die if there's a chance we can save him."

 _Drip. Drip._

She sniffed, unaware that she had started crying until the tears began to fall from her bluebell colored eyes. She hastily wiped them away and smiled at Nino. "And don't call me Princess. I have a name, you know. It's Marinette."

Nino ran a hand through his dark brown hair and gave her a lopsided grin. "Glad to hear that. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Marinette," he said, giving her a bow and lifting her hand to his lips so he could kiss it. She was surprised that he had such good manners despite being a pirate. Nino...there was more to him than she had first thought, too. "By the way, are you any good with maps?" he asked suddenly, almost as an afterthought.

Marinette's eyes widened. "Maps?"

He nodded, looking sheepish. "The Captain's usually the one who navigates for us. But now that he's out..."

"I've read a lot of books on them and studied maps in school before. I should be able to help," Marinette offered, determined to do what she could to help Chat Noir. She smiled a little to herself. If someone had told her yesterday that she would be helping save the life of one of the most wanted pirates in the world, she would have laughed in their face and told them to get their head out of the gutter. But now...

"Great!" Nino beamed at her. She decided that she liked the first mate already. He disappeared below deck for a few minutes then returned with an old piece of parchment which she realized was a map. He handed the map to her, then led her to the bridge where the ship wheel was located. "We'll be heading to Paris. That's where Master Fu lives."

Her heart skipped a beat at the thought that they would be returning to the city she once called home. Paris, huh...She looked down at the map, then looked up at the sea ahead of them. If she turned the chart to match the directions of the compass, she could tell where the currents flowed and where the closest land to them was. "We're in luck," she said out loud. "We're not too far away. We should be able to get there by tomorrow evening."

"That should give us enough time," Nino agreed. "Would you be able to tend to things here while I get the Captain settled?"

"Aye aye, sir!" Marinette said, giving him a smile of her own as she raised her hand in a salute.

Nino rolled his eyes and snorted in amusement at her actions. "You've read too many pirate stories, Marinette."

"I have not!" Marinette protested indignantly, a blush creeping onto her face. The last thing she wanted was for Nino to discover that she was a sucker for pirate stories. He probably would never let her live it down if he found out..."And besides, they're good! That's all that matters, right?"

Nino chuckled. "They get all the facts wrong, though."

"Psh, whatever! Shouldn't you be helping Chat Noir?" she pouted, pushing him out of the room. He winked at her before he turned around the corner.

It wasn't until after Nino had left that Marinette felt her head spin. She leaned against the wall in an attempt to support herself. _Not now, please not now..._ she begged herself, but her body refused to listen to her desperate pleas. Exhausted, she sank to the floor, and then the world went black.

* * *

A/n: 59 reviews for 5 chapters! Wow, you guys are amazing /sobs/! Thank you so much for the lovely reviews, I'm so happy that you're all loving the story so far :) I was able to write this chapter more quickly as I finally figured out the plot xD please expect more updates in the future! :) I'm also trying to write longer chapters so hopefully this one was worth the wait~

Let me know what you think with a review? :)


	7. Fevers and Nightmares

"Nnng…"

Marinette tossed and turned uncomfortably in her sleep. Her head was killing her, and her body ached. With a groan, she opened her eyes, squinting as they were hit by the light. For a moment, her mind felt foggy. How did she get here? And how much time had passed since then? The last thing she remembered was falling unconscious on the bridge...she sure had been doing that a lot lately, she thought dryly. She gingerly touched the tender spot in the back of her head where the shark had struck, only to find that someone had bandaged it. A small smile spread across her lips. Was it Nino who had treated her wounds?

She suddenly became aware of the fact that there was another presence beside her, and she looked around to inspect her surroundings. Her eyes bulged and she almost leapt out of the bed as she turned to see Chat Noir lying next to her, unconscious. When had he gotten into the same bed as her?

"You're awake, huh?" Nino's voice remarked from somewhere to her left. She jumped and whirled around, startled.

"N-Nino? What am I doing here?" she asked, gesturing to the captain beside her. Her cheeks burned at the thought that she had just shared a bed with _Chat Noir_.

He merely shrugged. "It's easier to put you and Captain in the same room so I can check on both of you at the same time. That's the downside when you only have a crew of two. Sorry about that."

"Oh," she let out a sigh of relief. He did have a point, now that she thought about it. How _had_ the two of them managed on their own when it usually took more than ten strong men to maneuver these ships? Her brain whirled with all the questions she was dying to ask, but she knew she probably wouldn't be able to get answers to all of them, especially not when they were racing against time to save Chat Noir. That would be a mystery that she would have to wait and solve some other day. There were more pressing matters, after all...She nodded to the captain. "So, er, how is he?"

Nino's expression darkened and he shook his head. "He's getting worse. He's got a fever now, too."

Marinette leaned over and gently brushed Chat Noir's golden bangs to one side – she tried to ignore how soft his hair felt in her hands - while being careful not to disturb his rest, and lightly touched his forehead with the back of her hand. She let out a hiss of surprise and jerked her hand away as though she had been stung. His skin was on fire.

"I know how to heal surface wounds, but there's nothing I can do for a fever," Nino went on, clenching his hand in frustration.

Speaking of fevers...Marinette blinked as she suddenly remembered a story she had read when she was younger. In the novel, the main male character had developed a fever after he saved a girl from falling into a lake. She had then taken off her clothes to use her body heat to reduce his fever. Maybe...just maybe...that to lower Chat's fever...

Her face turned redder than a tomato and she quickly shook her head to push the dirty thoughts away. There was no way that she, a princess, would do something so scandalous with a pirate like Chat Noir, especially when she was yet to be married! This would no doubt become a scandal that the people of France would talk about for years to come if they ever found out that their beloved princess had slept with one of the world's most wanted pirates! And if she did, there was no way she would be worthy of Adrien's hand in marriage. Oh, what was she getting herself into? And not to mention she could never marry Adrien now…

But what if this was the only way to help Chat Noir…? Was she willing to risk everything, to throw everything away, for someone she barely knew?

 _Chat Noir sacrificed his own life to save you,_ a small voice reminded her in the back of her mind. And no matter how much she tried to deny it, she knew that that was the truth. After all, she had already resolved to saving him, and this was only part of the deal. If she didn't help him now, she would be indebted to him forever. That was all there was to it. Besides, he was unconscious. It wasn't like he was going to do anything to her, right?

 _This is for Chat Noir_ , she reminded herself again. If it wasn't for him, she would have ended up as the shark's breakfast by now...it was Chat Noir who had come to save her when she needed him the most. Now, it was his turn to need her help...Her cheeks flushed despite herself. It felt nice to know that someone needed her.

She shook her head and took a deep breath. Right. Now that she had made the decision to go through with her plan, she ought to do it quickly so she could get it over with.

It was then that she became painfully aware of Nino lounging in the old arm chair, waiting patiently as she deliberated with herself. She turned to him, finally making up her mind. "T-There might be one way," she mumbled, her heart thumping wildly in her chest as she wondered if this truly was the right thing to do. _It's now or never, Marinette. Where's that courage of yours when you need it the most?_ she encouraged herself firmly.

His eyes widened as she finally mustered the courage to continue, "to help with his fever. Using body heat..." she trailed off in embarrassment, not wanting to explain further if she didn't have to. Nino, much to her chagrin, still hadn't caught on to the implication and blinked at her in confusion. With a blush, she reluctantly elaborated, "I...I read in a book that body heat can reduce fevers. I'm not sure if it will work, but I-I can share my body heat with him...I mean, not that I'm going to sleep with him or anything! It's only so I can transfer my body heat to him...and..." She groaned inwardly. Great, now she was rambling. She bit her tongue to shut herself up before she sounded even more of a fool in front of the first mate.

Nino simply gapped at her as though she had suddenly sprouted two heads. Argh...why did boys have to be so impossible at times like these!? She decided to just get straight to the point. "W-Would you mind helping me take off his suit?" she blurted. To think that she, Princess Marinette Dupain-Cheng, would dare to ask such a question...she let out a groan, desperately wishing that she could just dig a hole and bury herself in it.

Nino opened and closed his mouth before he finally found his voice. "Take off his suit? I didn't know you were that bold, Marinette," he teased, making her blush even more.

"I-It's not like that!" she spluttered, waving her hands wildly in protest. Nino smirked at her in amusement, obviously having way too much fun at her expense. She glared at him frostily. The nerve.

"Alright, alright," Nino said, saving her from having to die from further embarrassment. "It's worth a try. I'll help." Nino sauntered towards his unconscious captain, who was oblivious to the events unfolding in front of him. Marinette quickly covered her eyes with her hands to give him some privacy, but she couldn't stop herself from staring as Nino unzipped the catsuit. She had never really studied a boy, no, a man, this close before. She had only read about such things in her romance novels, or heard about them from her boy-obsessed best friend. To see Chat Noir, the dangerous pirate captain,p like this...Her breath caught. She couldn't help but stare in awe at his sturdy physique, and the buff muscles and nasty-looking scars that hid underneath. Marinette stared in awe at a particularly horrible scar that ran across his chest. _Who did that to you?_ she asked silently. Her hands itched to trace along those lines, but caught herself in time. No, she couldn't think about that right now!

At Nino's cough, she quickly remembered what she was supposed to be doing and turned to him. "Er, I'll help him now, but would you mind leaving the room? So I can...you know..." she trailed off, not wanting to say it out loud in fear of making it sound worse. She was already embarrassed enough.

"Sorry! Of course!" Nino apologized quickly and hurried out of the room, leaving Marinette alone with the pirate captain.

She stared at Chat Noir for a moment before taking a deep breath. _You owe me big time for this,_ she complained silently as she slipped her pink-and-white dress off her small frame and tossed it into the now unoccupied chair. She cast a sideways glance at the dress. Now that she was working with pirates, she ought to wear something more practical. Marinette made a mental note to ask Nino if she could purchase fabric at their next stop so she could design some pants for herself. She shook her head. She could think about that later. She had something more important she had to do...

Marinette slipped into the bed and crawled toward Chat Noir, her cheeks flaming as her body pressed against his and his warmth seeped through her skin. He felt warm. Too warm. She could only hope that this would be enough to help reduce his fever.

 _Please be okay, Chat Noir_ , she begged, praying to whichever gods that might be listening to her pleas. Then again, if gods really did exist, Hawk Moth wouldn't have ruined her beloved country, and Adrien wouldn't have gone missing... _Please, just this once, help save Chat Noir. Without him, I wouldn't be here right now,_ she pleaded desperately. _I'll...I'll do anything to save him. And to save my country._

As if in response, Chat Noir stirred next to her. "Urgh…" he moaned just then, breaking her out of her thoughts and making Marinette almost jump in surprise. As her speeding heart slowed, she saw with concern that he was drenched in cold sweat. He continued tossing and turning, his breathing shallow. Marinette's heart ached to see him like this. After a few unrestful moments, he cracked an eye open and stared dazedly at her. "Princess? Am I in heaven?" he croaked.

"No!" she squeaked, pulling the blanket over herself with lightening speed so he wouldn't be able to see her naked body. She let out the breath she didn't realize she had been holding once she saw that he hadn't noticed. "You're alive, but you have a fever. You should get some rest!"

"I'm sorry…for not saving you…for everything…" he muttered, his voice filled with pain. His eyes were gazing at a place faraway, and it seemed like he wasn't talking to her anymore, but Marinette's heart cried for him. She had always thought that he was strong and proud. But for him to show her his vulnerable side, and for him to have had once faced something so terrible...she wondered what had been responsible for him to end up in such a state of despair. And who was he apologizing to? Was it his family? His…lover? Her heart twisted at the thought, that maybe Chat Noir had someone who he was in love with but was unable to protect. She knew what that felt like, not being able to protect Adrien and not knowing how he was doing or where he was now. Was that what caused Chat Noir to be swallowed by the darkness?

As she laid next to him, the warmth from his feverish body seeping into her own, she admitted that she had harbored prejudice against him just because he was a pirate. In truth, she hardly knew who he was. What had he been like before he became a pirate? What made him the way he was? Why was he doing all of this? Chat Noir…just who really was he? To Marinette, he was a book waiting for her to open, a puzzle waiting for her to solve. And she was going to solve the puzzle that was Chat Noir if it was the last thing she did, because she had to give him at least that much after he saved her life despite putting his own in danger.

She leaned forward and gently kissed him on his cheek. "You saved me, Chaton," she said. She knew it wasn't enough to heal his heart, but it was the only thing that she could do for him. "I'm still alive because of you. So…thank you."

Upon hearing her words, he let out a defeated sigh and rolled over, falling into an uneasy sleep. Marinette watched him sleep for a few more moments before exhaustion took over. It wasn't long before she too followed him into the world of dreams...

* * *

 _"Marinette..."_

 _She looked around, trying to find the source of the voice. Its sound was so familiar that even hearing it hurt._

 _"Adrien?" she called desperately, reaching for him in the darkness. "Where are you?"_

 _"I'm here, Marinette. I'm right here..." he continued, his voice smooth as silk. That was one of the reasons why Marinette loved him so much._

 _"No, stop lying!" she protested. "You're not here. France needs you, Adrien! I need you!"_

 _She felt something warm touch her head. In the dark, she couldn't tell if it was his hand, or his lips, but the comforting action made her blush._ _"Find Master Fu, Marinette. He can help you." There was a long, painful pause before he went on, "And why would you need me when you already have Chat Noir?"_

Marinette sat up with a jolt and slapped her cheeks to wake herself up. _No, stop thinking about that!_ she scolded herself.

She quickly remembered why her mind was in such turmoil in the first place. She sighed and turned to the source of her conflicting emotions. He was sleeping more peacefully now, but his jaw was still clenched in pain. She longed to take off his mask to see who he really was, but deep down, her heart told her that it wasn't right. This was part of the mystery she had vowed to solve, and she would solve it with her own two hands. Taking advantage of him when he was in this state...that wasn't who she was. She continued gazing at him, lost in her own thoughts, when something rough but warm touched her shoulder.

 _Thump._

Marinette let out a scream, then relaxed when she realized that it was only Nino who had placed a hand on her shoulder. She let out the breath she didn't realize she had been holding. "Nino! You scared me!" she squealed, her earlier nightmare forgotten as she was reminded of their current situation.

"Never mind that! Cover up first, Marinette!" Nino said, his face completely red as he stared at her. It took her a moment before the thought that Nino had just saw her naked finally registered in her brain. As realization dawned upon her, she screamed even more and ducked under the blanket to hide herself. In her terror, she had completely forgotten that she had gone to bed without wearing any clothes. She moaned in dismay. There was no chance that she was ever going to get married now! How was she ever going to face Adrien and tell him the truth? _I'm sorry, Adrien, but I slept with Chat Noir, and by the way, Nino saw me naked too._ THAT would definitely not turn out well... "Go away, Nino!" she wailed, her voice coming out muffled thanks to her hiding under the blanket.

"It's okay for the Captain to see you like that, but not me?" Nino joked to lighten the atmosphere, but this turned out to be the wrong thing to say. Marinette popped up from under the sheets and gave him a glare that read, _say one word to Chat Noir and you're dead_. Nino shivered at her death glare and held up his hands in defeat. "Alright, alright, I'll leave you two alone! I just wanted to tell you that we've arrived!"

Marinette's eyes widened at Nino's news. "We're here?" she repeated, her earlier embarrassment forgotten.

"Aye! Put some clothes on and let's go!" Nino laughed and danced out of the room as Marinette chucked a pillow after him. She sighed, hastily slipping out of the bed to put on her dress. She cast one last look at Chat Noir before following Nino out of the room and onto the deck.

Her breath caught as she took in the sight in front of her. She had never had a chance to see how Paris looked from the sea, and the view that greeted her was incredible. She could see seagulls soaring in the distance and bustling seafood markets dotting the harbor. She closed her eyes, enjoying the sun's warmth and relishing in the scents of the ocean. She hadn't felt this calm and well rested since she had been -

"Princess, there's no time for sight seeing. We've got a Captain to save," Nino reminded her, slapping her on the back to snap her out of her reverie. She shook her head and turned to him. "Here's the plan. We'd be more conspicuous if we go together, so it would be better if you go first and scout ahead. When you see that the coast is clear, give me a signal so I can bring the Captain with me. Got it?"

Marinette nodded. Nino's plan made sense. They couldn't risk getting caught, especially not with Chat Noir's life on the line. "What kind of signal?" she asked.

He gave her a sly grin. "Surprise me, Princess." With that, he tossed a black cloak to her, then gave her a wave and headed back downstairs. "I'll get Chat Noir. Head out when you're ready."

Marinette watched him go before wrapping the delicate cloak over herself. She gazed back out at the city. It had once been her home, welcoming and friendly, but now it appeared daunting and foreign.

She didn't know how their trip was going to turn out, but she did know that whatever was coming next was definitely going to be interesting...she took a deep breath to brace herself for the upcoming adventure.

 _Here goes nothing_.

* * *

 **A/n:** I'm so sorry for not updating in a while! /runs and hides/ but hopefully the Marichat scenes make up for my absence ;)

I wasn't sure if I should've had Marinette do something so scandalous this early in the story, but I think it's in her nature to care about others, especially if they had helped her. So I think she would do anything to help Chat Noir, even if it meant sharing her body heat with him...(I blame reading too many mangas for these ideas xD) do let me know what your thoughts are, I'd love to hear what you think too~!

Thank you, thank you for your amazing support for this story so far! I wouldn't have kept writing if it wasn't for your wonderful reviews and words of encouragement! Hopefully this chapter was worth the wait~ :)


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